A typical reel has a reel body for fixing to a fishing rod by some appropriate fitting, with a spool for holding fishing line mounted rotatably and removably on the reel body, typically on a spindle projecting axially from a backplate of the reel body. In particular we are concerned with fly reels, in which typically a manual crank arrangement for rotating the spool is provided as a handle directly on a front plate of the spool.
Reels of the type described conventionally include control means for influencing the rotation of the spool relative to the body. Adjustable brakes and clickers are usual. A known construction uses a control coupling element--typically a disk or ring--which rotates with the spool, and a spool rotation control arrangement or control feature on the body--typically a friction brake or clicker, which may be adjustable--which applies a control force to the control coupling element so as in turn to influence the spool's rotation. A braking effect is usually desired for only one sense of spool rotation, i.e. when line is being stripped from the spool. It is therefore normal practice to couple the control coupling element to the spool through a unidirectional coupling--typically a ratchet or other pawl-based mechanism--so that they are constrained to rotate together (thereby braking the spool) in one rotational sense only.
Right- and left-handed anglers use their reels oppositely mounted, so it is desirable for a reel to allow selection of the sense in which that constrained rotation occurs.
Our own earlier GB-A-2096441 describes such a reversible system, in which a brakable element (a disk), its unidirectional ratchet coupling mechanism and also the components for braking it are housed together in a unitary cassette, which is sandwiched between the spool and reel backplate with a simple locating engagement for each. The braking sense is switched by taking out the spool and turning the cassette over. This is very easy to use, but the cassette with its internal mechanisms is a complex and hence expensive component.